The best things to do in Cleveland

(CNN) — Walk into most Cleveland sports bars and you'll see shirts boasting "We're not Detroit!" and "Cleveland: It's not that bad, have a beer!"

Welcome to Cleveland 2.0, where the down-home mingles with the high-brow; where the self-deprecation morphs into hometown pride; where the Matisse and Monets beckon as seductively as the sticky shellac of a brewpub floor.

Yes, you can (and should) go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but there are other things to do when you travel here. You can also dine with James Beard award-winning chefs, see art in a former train car power station, and hike under cascading waterfalls. Read on for our favorite ways to soak up C-town:

Noteworthy neighborhoods

Start with Gordon Square Arts District, the city's bohemian quarter. Test your skills at Superelectric Pinball Parlor with games dating to the 1950s, catch a show at one of four theater companies, or tour the region's biggest fine arts complex, 78th Street Studios.

Wash down the culture with poutine and brews at Banter Beer & Wine or at Sweet Moses' Soda Fountain and Treat Shop.

Victorian-era homes and eclectic bistros pepper Ohio City's W. 25th Street, home to one of the country's first public markets, West Side Market. Scope out OC's Hingetown, a funky district where you can visit Transformer Station, the aforementioned gallery tucked into a 1920s transit hub, and attend a poetry night at looseleaf peddlers Cleveland Tea Revival.

Cultural staples

The Cleveland Art Museum is free to visit (plus a blast to explore).

Courtesy Cody York/ThisIsCleveland

Get lost among 45,000 pieces of art -- artists range from Otto Dix to Andy Warhol -- at Cleveland Museum of Art. While there, make your own creation with gesture-sensing projection technology in the ARTLENS Gallery.

("Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors," runs July 7 through September 30; book now to reserve your time and date.)

Carve out an afternoon for the I.M. Pei-designed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, perched on Lake Erie's shoreline.

Packed with four theaters and seven floors of memorabilia, don't miss the Power of Rock Experience, where you can "hang" with greats like Smokey Robinson and Alice Cooper.

Next, embark for an evening at Playhouse Square, America's largest performing arts center outside of New York City.

In addition to five historic theaters, you'll find four more performance spaces and an outdoor plaza. Before showtime, marvel at the GE Chandelier -- the world's largest outdoor chandelier -- on Euclid Avenue, which glimmers with more than 4,200 crystals.

Parks and rec

The Virginia Kendall Ledges Overlook is one of the best photo spots in Cuyahoga Park.

Courtesy Cody York/ThisIsCleveland

Break a sweat at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a verdant swirl of waterfalls and trails along the Cuyahoga River. If you can time it, catch a show at Blossom, an amphitheater with unreal acoustics inside the park. This summer, they'll welcome acts ranging from Dave Matthews Band to Poison.

About 20 minutes from the park's north end, venture to riverfront Collision Bend Brewery. As you swill on IPAs and eat wood-fired pizza, the nautical-inspired interiors may very well send your mind floating down the brewery's namesake river.

Fancy a craft cocktail? Our vote is The Plum, which serves riffs on classic libations like the bourbon-forward Alcindor and its pièce de résistance, The Cheryl: A four-person punch bowl starring rosé, lavender and chamomile.

A locavore's dream, Greenhouse Tavern is helmed by James Beard winner Jonathon Sawyer. The chef doles up hits ranging from hand-ground beef tartare (yes, with more of that stadium mustard) to vegan tonkotsu ramen. The eatery also has bragging rights as Ohio's first LEED-certified restaurant.

For a distinctly Cleveland treat, feast at Brewnuts, which serves doughnuts made with beer that are precisely as good as they sound. A block away is Happy Dog, where Shangri-La awaits in the form of a pimento mac 'n' cheese smothered hot dog or vegan sausage.

The Ohio City Galley, a food hall and restaurant incubator project in the Ohio City neighborhood, will open in summer 2018. The 9,000-square-foot space will be modeled after Smallman Galley, the Galley Group's original grounds in Pittsburgh.

Hit the hay

The Ritz Carlton is a luxe-but-cozy option.

Courtesy Ritz Carlton

For a hotel within walking distance to many attractions, post up at the Hyatt at the Arcade, which opened in 1890 as America's first indoor mall. The historic atrium features an 85-foot-high skylight, brass fixtures and two marble staircases. It's a hell of a wedding venue -- or photo opp.

The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland also provides luxe digs; its 206 rooms and fitness center underwent a major remodel in 2017. At the property's TURN Bar + Kitchen, there's a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays.

A few steps away from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and new Jack Cleveland Casino sits the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. Erected in 1918, you can channel prohibition-era vibes in the dimly lit and leather-heavy lobby bar. Bottoms up, Believeland!